


More Than A Master

by askywalkergryff



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) - All Media Types
Genre: Brother-Sister Relationships, Father-Daughter Relationship, Fluff, Gen, Literal Sleeping Together, Platonic Cuddling, Platonic Kissing, Slow Dancing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-09
Updated: 2021-02-13
Packaged: 2021-03-14 19:20:51
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 5,414
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29301045
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/askywalkergryff/pseuds/askywalkergryff
Summary: After deciding to leave the Jedi Order, Ahsoka Tano goes back to Shili to live with her birth family. As the traditional Father-Daughter Dance approaches, she requests that someone other than her birth father should take her- someone who has been more of a father to her than her birth father will ever be.Anakin is happy to accept.
Relationships: Anakin Skywalker & Ahsoka Tano
Comments: 15
Kudos: 71





	1. Chapter 1

The moment that she had arrived back on it, Ahsoka had decided that Shili was the most beautiful planet in the galaxy.

From the red grass that tickled her knees, to the indigo skies, covered in speckles of stars that reflected from her eyes as she searched for constellations each night, she had felt at peace.

_"And if you look up there... no, to the right of that," Anakin laughed, clasping her wrist and guiding her fingers to point in the right direction. "You can see our constellation."_

_"The constellation that we made up_ _? That's not the 'Skyguy'! That looks nothing like a person!" she shouted, giggling as Anakin poked her in the side._

_"Yes, it is!" he insisted. "It just looks sort of upside down from here."_

_"But, we aren't even on Coruscant!" Ahsoka retorted as Anakin pulled her hand to the ground, fingers still interlaced with her own._

_"Sky's all the same, Snips," he sighed, his breath smoky in the cold air. "No matter where you are, those stars will always be a constant."_

_She smiled contently, unable to take her eyes off of the little lights. After a few moments, she broke the comfortable silence._

_"So," she began, her voice barely a whisper, "when you leave tomorrow," Anakin flinched slightly, gripping her hand even tighter, "-and go back to Coruscant... you have to promise me that you'll look up at the stars... that you'll find our constellation... every night."_

_Anakin had turned his head to the side, and so had she, their blue eyes meeting._

_"Because I'm going to do that. If we're both looking at our constellation every night... it'll be like," Ahsoka swallowed, "like-"_

_"Like we're still together," Anakin finished for her. Ahsoka smiled sadly, nodding her head. "I will," he promised._

_"And you can't be forgetful about it," she continued, trying for a joke. Anakin just gave her an equally sad grin._

_"I won't forget," he swore. "I'll never forget you, Snips."_

_Ahsoka thanked the Force that his eyes had travelled back up to the sky so he couldn't see the tear that dripped down her cheek and into the crimson grass._

_What she didn't know was that Anakin had looked away for the same reason._

_He would be strong for Ahsoka._

_He had to be.  
  
_

Ahsoka blinked up at the dark sky, turning her head to the left, as if she were expecting her master to still be there.

“Not Master anymore,” she whispered to herself. _Brother,_ she thinks to herself.

The empty space where Anakin had lay nearly a year ago was quickly occupied by Okeeyah Tano- Ahsoka’s birth father.

Okee does not like to look at the stars very much. He calls it ‘ _Dunga_ ’- ‘bad, boring’.

But, nevertheless, he spares some time to lay beside Ahsoka, chuckling fondly as she points out constellations. He tries to take interest, tries to be there for her- be her parent.

But he’s no Anakin, and Ahsoka knows this.

  
She doesn’t speak much of her life as a Jedi to her family. When her mother, Alahynee, asked her about the picture that she had plastered to her wall of her, Obi-Wan, Anakin, and Rex, she had gladly explained.

She had used the word ‘ _sa’daar_ ’- ‘brother’ -to describe each of them.

Alahy had smiled tightly, patting her daughter on the shoulder, but Ahsoka did not miss the dark look that she had shot at the grinning faces of the men surrounding Ahsoka in the image.

Her parents had met Anakin on the night that he had brought her to them, though they had hardly acknowledged his presence at all as they squeezed their long lost daughter half to death.

He had planned on staying in the ship that night, not wanting to intrude on the happy reunion, yet, as the stars came out, so did Ahsoka.

He had followed her to the space between their ship and her house, wordlessly laying down by her side. He had promised that he would be there in the morning to say goodbye.

He had broken his promise.

Ahsoka had been angry with him for days, but she quickly realized why he had done what he did. A goodbye would’ve been too final for them. This way, she could just pretend that he was off on a mission- that they would see each other again soon.

‘Soon’ was slowly becoming ‘never’ in Ahsoka’s opinion.

Okee is the first to awake in the mornings.

He raps on Ahsoka’s door twice to let her know that the sky has lightened.

She climbs out of her blankets, wrapping herself in the spare cloak that Obi-Wan had pretended not to see her steal from his quarters so many months ago.

She eats the meals that Alahy has prepared.

It’s better than ration bars, _that’s_ for sure. But breakfast isn’t quite breakfast without her and Rex complaining about the bland tasting, chalky sticks that they must struggle to stomach.

Ahsoka misses her brothers.

But then comes _Khos Da_

It’s a holiday that she’s heard her parents and neighbors speak about for the past month, a huge celebration throughout the village, to honor the Fathers of the families.

Lights will be strung up, tables will be brought outside, and food will be shared.

At the end of the night, a father-daughter dance will take place.

Ahsoka dreads the thought of it.

Okee speaks to Ahsoka excitedly of the coming event. Ahsoka attempts to reciprocate his enthusiasm, but everything she says falls flat.

She knows she does not want to celebrate the day with Okee, and so does he.

She wants to celebrate it with the one who actually raised her, the one who had been more of a father to her than Okee ever could.

She wants to celebrate _Khos Da_ with Anakin.

Okee and Alahy come to Ahsoka’s room one night, understanding smiles on their faces.

“Not ready yet,” Okee speaks to Ahsoka. “You are not ready yet for me to be your _Khos_. I understand.” He bows his head, and Ahsoka grins back sadly.

“ _Ku_ ,” she agrees, confirming his thoughts.

Okee looks forward to a year when he can celebrate _Khos Da_ with her, but he knows that it will not come soon.

* * *

Ahsoka sighed to herself as her parents exited her bedroom, their footsteps silenced by the thick mats that make up the floor.

She rolled over, reaching into the woven box that resides on her nightstand, and opens the lid.

The spare comm that Anakin had left for her lies still, a layer of dust forming on its surface.

 _”Emergencies only,”_ he had said. _“No ‘I miss you’s’,”_ he had joked.

She clutched the metal tightly, wiping the dust away with her thumb. She chewed on her bottom lip, considering the facts of the situation.

She was in need of a father figure for _Khos Da_ , and Anakin was the closest thing that she had ever had to one. She knew he was busy, but this was an emergency of sorts, right?

She decided that it was,

and promptly called her old master, shaking with nerves.

He answered almost instantly.

” _Ahsoka?!”_


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> THIS IS TO BE INTERPRETED P L A T O N I C A L L Y  
> we don’t ship siblings here 😌✌🏼

Anakin's voice rang through Ahsoka's montrals, loud and clear. Her mouth instantly dried as a solid lump formed in her throat, her face burning as the tears sprung to the edges of her lids.

She pulled her hand up from under her blanket, gently slapping it across her mouth as Anakin repeated her name.

" _Ahsoka?"_ he asked once again, slightly alarmed at her non-response. Force, she had missed his voice.

Ahsoka inhaled sharply, nothing but a small squeaking sound audible as she attempted to pull herself together. She shakily brought her hand down from her mouth, grunting as she tried to clear her throat enough to speak without breaking down.

"Yeah," she answered. "Yeah, it's me."

" _Are you alright?"_ he asked quickly, and she almost laughed because the fact that that was his first question for her was so... _Anakin_ that it hurt. She clenched her blanket into her fists, squeezing tightly until she was certain that she would have imprints of the fabric etched into her palms.

"I'm okay, Ma- Anakin," she stumbled, unsuccessfully clearing her throat once again. "I just..." oh, how he was going to laugh at her when she told him why she had called.

" _Yes?_ " he asked in a voice that would be dripping with annoyance if it had come from anyone else.

"There's this holiday here, _Kohs Da_ ," she began, teeth peeling at the top layer of skin on her lip. She exhaled loudly. "It's this really big deal. Big party to celebrate fathers. And then at the end... there's a father-daughter dance," she explained.

There was silence from Anakin's end.

Had this been a bad idea? This had definitely been a bad idea.

"But, of course, it's sort of awkward for me to go with Okee because he still doesn't feel like my real father. I've only known him for a few months, and you-" she stopped abruptly, realizing what she was about to say. She breathed deeply again. "And you've been more of a father in my life than he has, anyways."

Still nothing.

Her breaths were rapidly increasing as she spoke, unable to contain her nerves.

"So, if you want to, I really wanted to go and be more... involved with my people, and I've already discussed my feelings with Okee by the way, so I just thought that, maybe-"

" _I'm on my way._ "

What?

Ahsoka's mouth opened wide, searching for something to say. She swallowed with great difficulty, her fists freeing her blanket from their grasps. Her eyes widened as she slumped down in her bed, eyes focused on the window beside her. She could see the constellations from here- _their_ constellation.

"I- what?" she asked, covering her mouth to stifle her laugh.

" _I'll be your stand-in-father for the day,_ " he teased, a smile clear in his voice. " _I can be there by tonight. I'm in the Expansion Region already, so I’m not too far from Shili, and we just finished up here. They were about to give me a leave anyway, so I'll just make something up and have Rex cover for me."_

"Is he there?!" Ahsoka exclaimed excitedly, clamping a hand over her mouth as she realized the octave her voice had reached. Fortunately, her parents did not stir from the room beside her.

" _I'm so sorry, Snips, he's sleeping right now,_ " Anakin sighed. " _I'll leave this comm with him though so that we can contact him from yours once I get there._ "

"It's alright," Ahsoka replied sadly. She slid herself off of her mattress, and padded across the floor. She arrived at the window, eyes blinking up at the sky as she imagined what her brothers were up to now.

It was probably Rex's first time sleeping in days. He was always up trying to get reports done and such. Fives had probably stolen something from Kix to knock him out with. Anakin would've draped a blanket over his captain, smiling fondly.

Ahsoka rested her chin on the window sill.

" _I'll see you soon_ ," Anakin said after a minute. " _I miss you._ "

"I thought you said that we couldn't use these comms for 'I miss you's'," Ahsoka joked. A staticky sound filled the speaker, likely a laugh.

" _If I'm not mistaken, you were the one who called me, Missy,_ " he replied.

"Yeah, but I had an emergency," she insisted, grinning at the familiarity of their bickering. 

" _No, you just called to make me feel old by calling me your father,_ " he playfully snapped back.

"You _are_ like my father though. Overly protective, strict-"

" _I am not strict!_ " Anakin sounded scandalized.

"What about the Citadel? When you said that I couldn't come with you?"

" _That falls under your 'overly protective' category, Genius._ "

"But-"

" _I have to go, I'm so sorry,_ " he interrupted. " _I can be there by about 0200 at the latest, alright?_ "

"Alright. Can't wait to see you."

" _You too. Get some sleep._ "

"No," Ahsoka replied, quickly shutting off the comm and laughing to herself at the mental image of what Anakin's facial expression likely was as a result of her abrupt end to the conversation.

Her eyes darted to the tiny holo-clock that occupied her wall. Squinting, she read the numbers.

1100

In three hours, Anakin would be there.

* * *

Three hours quickly turned to two as Anakin’s speeder approached, the humming of the motor getting increasingly louder in Ahsoka’s montrals as he arrived. Though she had sworn to herself that she would be awake when he got there, she was snoring softly into the wood of her windowsill, one arm hanging limply out of it.

She sprung awake in an instant as soon as she sensed Anakin’s presence, her eyes searching the front yard for him. She lifted her feet off of the ground, pushing herself through the opening, and tumbled into the awaiting grass.

The warmth that she felt from the thick air of Shili was nothing in comparison to the feeling that rose through her as she ran forward, and fell into Anakin’s arms, nearly breaking down again as he lifted her up off of the ground, playfully spinning her in a circle.

He set her down, cupping half of her face with one hand.

“You’re so grown up,” he whispered.

“It’s only been half a year,” she laughed. “Besides, _you’re_ the old man, remember?”

He pushed his hand around her head, placing it under her back lek, and pulled her cheek to the space just below his chest once again. His heartbeat pulsed in her montrals for a few moments, before they pulled away once again.

“Come on,” Ahsoka said, taking his hand. She pulled him to her window, opening it even wider so that Anakin could crawl through with her. “Sit,” she instructed, pushing him to the ground. He laughed as a cool breeze flowed through her room.

“Thought I was the master,” he mused as she snatched the blanket off of her bed.

“Not anymore,” Ahsoka sang back teasingly. She wrapped the blanket around herself, shuffling over to the space besides Anakin, and plopping down next to him. “Here.” She lifted the blanket around his broad shoulders, setting her chin on the windowsill once again.

“So... what are we looking at?” Anakin asked, leaning forward to imitate Ahsoka’s position. They both tilted their heads up at the sky, eyes traveling all over the galaxy.

“Thought you were the master,” Ahsoka whispered back, imitating Anakin’s voice.

“You Dumbass, you just told me that I wasn’t anymore,” he laughed.

“Don’t call me a Dumbass,” she giggled back, shoving him to the side.

“You know I only speak the truth.”

“ _Do_ you now? What about when I asked if you and Padme were dating?”

“I was honest with you when I said ‘no’ because we’re not dating- we’re _married_ ,” he reminded her with a chuckle. Ahsoka rolled her eyes.

“Same difference.”

“Not really,” Anakin hummed in response.

Ahsoka’s head gently collided with his shoulder as she sat up. Anakin wrapped his arm around her side, playfully knocking his head against one of her montrals.

“I told you to to get some sleep,” he whispered.

“And I said ‘no’,” Ahsoka giggled in response.

“Yes, I heard you,” he muttered grumpily. “Come on, you need to go to bed.”

Ahsoka protested only slightly as he lifted her off of the ground, one arm supporting her back, the other tucked behind her knees. He lowered her to her bed, his whole face lighting up in response to the smile that she gave him.

“Where are you going to sleep?” she asked quietly. Anakin gestured to the floor as he pulled the blanket up over her eyes, a trick that had never failed to make her laugh.

She uncovered her eyes, wearing a face of fake annoyance before turning sideways on her mattress, and scooting herself backwards.

Anakin raised an eyebrow at her.

She mocked him for the second time that night.

“What?” he laughed. Ahsoka waved her hand over the open space that she had created beside her, lifting the blanket invitingly. Anakin smiled fondly, remembering all the nights that she had performed the same actions in the temple after a nightmare.

He shrugged, climbing under the blanket as well. They had shared a bed on numerous occasions; the tents that they had shared after battles weren’t exactly five star hotels. Ahsoka had never slept well after battles, so Anakin often carried her to his bed or sleeping bag, wrapped her up in his arms, and promised over and over again that everything would be okay. He would sing to her on some nights, anything to help her to fall asleep.

Even once they got back to the temple, she would sometimes request that he lay by her side, the image of bloody, mangled bodies still fresh in her head.

But as he shifted his arms around her until they were both comfortable that night, he couldn’t help but let the corners of his mouth reach nearly to his eyes as he took in the situation. Here they were again, pressed up against one another, yet, there were no nightmares. There were no tears, no waking up screaming in the middle of the night-

No.

They were just together because they wanted to be.

“Goodnight, Snips,” Anakin whispered, curling his neck forward to gently kiss the top of her lekku, before lowering his head back down to the pillow.

Ahsoka murmured something into the fabric of his robes, sounding suspiciously like the words ‘Love you’, but Anakin couldn’t be sure.

He just closed his eyes, softly petting his sister’s back head tail, and began to fall asleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ahsoka’s parents are about to get *quite* the wrong idea about Anakin when they find him in bed with their daughter the next morning. Next chapter will be posted tonight or tomorrow :)


	3. Chapter 3

It’s Alahy’s scream that wakes them both.

Two pairs of blue eyes opened abruptly at the sound as they took in their surroundings.

Ahsoka, who had always been a restless sleeper, was sprawled out across her bed. One of her legs was hooked over Anakin’s knees, the other bent uncomfortably behind her. One of her hands gripped at his hair, while the other one rested on top of the arm that Anakin had loosely draped over her waist. 

“Yut e’ a khos’a unt tunguma!” Okee had shouted to his wife when he had gone to wake Ahsoka that morning.

 _‘There is a man with daughter’_ Ahsoka had translated in her head. 

“Wha...?” she began, untangling her fingers from Anakin’s knotted hair, and rubbing her bleary eyes. As the morning light illuminated her parent’s two horrified faces, the realization finally came to her.

Oh.

_Oh._

They thought that she and Anakin had-

Oh no.

“No, no no no _no!_ ” Ahsoka quickly shouted, waving her hands wildly in the air. She rolled over onto her back as Anakin wrinkled his face in disgust, quickly guessing what the Tano’s had been implying from their facial expressions.

“ _Ewww_ ,” he shuddered, making Ahsoka laugh.

“Likewise,” she stated firmly as she turned to face him, the markings over her eyes raised seriously.

Ahsoka froze as Okee slowly sauntered towards her side of the bed. His eyebrows were pinched together, orange skin almost as red as the grass as he glared at the pair.

He was not angry- he was _fuming_.

“Get him out,” he hissed, kneeling down besides his daughter. Ahsoka shook her head once again, rolling her eyes. The arm that Anakin had wrapped around her was lifted as he sat himself up. He narrowed his eyes at Okee, his protective nature beginning to take over

“You’re not understanding me,” she grumbled, pushing herself up onto her knees so that they were at eye level. “This e’ _Anakin_. Du _sa’daar,_ ” she explained, dragging out each word as if she were speaking to a young child.

“Yeh have nah sa’daar,” Alahy quickly cut in, her voice sharper than the blade of a lightsaber. Her eyes darted to the picture that Ahsoka had shown her of all her brothers, before looking back, directing her narrowed eyes at Anakin. “Yeh are not du tunguma’s sa’daar.”

Anakin raised an eyebrow.

“I... don’t... speak... Togruti,” he explained, making hand gestures to try and get his point across. Alahy’s glare only hardened before she repeated her words in basic.

“You are not my daughter’s brother,” she spoke slowly with a thick accent. Anakin’s face darkened dangerously, and Ahsoka set her hand on his shoulder, ignoring the angry glare that was still boring into her cheek from Okee.

“I’m closer to family than you’ll ever be.” Anakin’s voice was low, his fury coursing through it because how _dare_ they question his status with Ahsoka after they had willingly given her to the Jedi after she was born.

“Ahsoka, please come speak with us alone,” Okee growled, gripping his daughter’s wrist.

She squeezed Anakin’s shoulder before reluctantly standing up, ripping her hand out of her father’s grip. She crossed her arms over her chest as she marched over to the doorway.

Anakin rubbed his forehead, scooting in a quarter-circle to sit on the edge of Ahsoka’s mattress, not seeing the apologetic glance that she shot at him before stepping out of the room with her parents.

“Is this what they’re like all the time?” he whispered to himself, clenching his artificial fist tightly. _No,_ he thought to himself. _They’re just worried_.

After all, if _he_ had found Ahsoka in bed with someone who he didn’t know, he would’ve immediately shoved them away from her. Perhaps it was better that she was back with her parents, and not him.

He thought about the words that Ahsoka had spoken to him over their comms the night before.

_“... And you’ve been more of a father in my life than he has, anyways...”_

He sighed.

It was true.

He loved Ahsoka so much- as much as he loved Obi-Wan, as much as he loved his mother, as much as he loved Padme (though in a _much_ different way). She had no idea how much it had meant to him that she had called to ask him to step in as her father for a day.

A father was something that he had always wanted to be, yet, he knew that it would be nearly impossible for him and Padme to hide their relationship very long if they had a child to hide as well.

Ahsoka was the closest thing that he would ever get to a daughter- he had even tried to convince Padme to adopt her with him. However, he reluctantly fulfilled her wishes to return to her birth family instead.

No matter where in the galaxy she was, she would always be his little sister, his daughter.

_His Snips._

Ahsoka sprinted back into the bedroom, a dopey smile on her face as she tackled him off of the bed, and onto the floor.

“Hey!” he exclaimed, wrestling her off of him, matching the smile on her face as he tickled her sides.

“Stop, STOP!” she shrieked, her arms flailing as they tried to shove him off of her. Her hysterical laughter echoed throughout the room for a few more moments, until Anakin decided to stop torturing her.

“I hate you so much,” she grumbled, propping her head up on one arm. Anakin rolled his eyes.

“ _Likewise_ ,” he taunted, mimicking her voice from earlier. Before she could open her mouth to snap back however, Anakin spoke again. “What’s got you so happy all of a sudden?”

“I explained everything to my parents. You know, about you.”

“Oh yeah? What’d you say?” he asked cockily, flipping his hair dramatically.

“That you’re a total asshole, exactly what they think of when they picture the Jedi,” Ahsoka replied with a smirk. Anakin shoved her arm out from under her head, causing her lekku to come in painful contact with the floor.

“ _Come on_ , tell me the truth,” he laughed.

“Fine,” she giggled in reply. “I told them that you’ve pretty much raised me since I was fourteen, taken care of me, protected me... _Oh!_ And I also clarified that you’re my brother and _abso-kriffing-lutely_ nothing more.”

“Thank you,” he chuckled, eyes wide as he nodded his head in agreement. “So,” he began, running a hand over her montrals, making her giggle again, “what’s this holiday that I have to be here for?”

“ _Khos Da_. It’s basically just an overhyped Father’s Day of sorts. It’ll be a big party with all of my neighbors, and at the end we have to dance,” she explained.

Anakin groaned.

“I don’t dance, Snips.”

“And you think _I_ do?” she asked. He laughed at the thought of it.

“No, no I don’t.”

“ _Pleeease,_ ” Ahsoka begged, shaking his shoulder with her hand. She batted her eyelashes, trying to school her face to look as sad as possible. “ _Please_?”

Anakin sighed.

No matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t resist those eyes.

“Ugh, fine,” he muttered. Ahsoka whooped in victory, throwing both of her fists in the air.

Anakin smiled. It had been awhile since he’d seen her this happy.

“You want breakfast?”

“Only if it’s human food. I don’t want any of your gross _alien_ meat,” he teased.

“Shhh, keep your voice down. Just because _I_ put up with your bullying, doesn’t mean the rest of my people will.” Ahsoka stood up, offering him a hand that he gladly took.

“They’re just not as tough as you,” he replied, standing beside her.

Pride radiated through the force as Ahsoka beamed.


	4. Chapter 4

“So, you’re sure that your father is okay with this? I don’t want to over step and-“

“ _Yes_ , he’s fine with it. Why wouldn’t he be?”

“Because this is really a family thing!” Anakin insisted, buckling his boots up. Ahsoka rolled her eyes as she tied her dress up.

“You said it yourself- you really are more like family to me than they are.”

“Okay, okay.” He pulled his other boot on as Ahsoka flopped backwards onto her bed, staring out the window, the light of many fires reflecting in her eyes.

  
She watched as her neighbors rushed around, setting food down on the tables that lined the area. Her parents had already exited the house, and she spotted them conversing with a girl about her age.

As she watched, she wondered what it would have been like to grow up on Shili with her birth family. She had been told that she had a sister who was killed shortly after she left with Master Plo. She wondered what she had been like.

Maybe she would’ve grown up playing with the dolls that she saw the children carry.

Maybe she would’ve helped her mother cook dinner that they would share with their neighbors.

Maybe she would’ve helped her father hunt for the meat.

Ahsoka was so caught up in her imagination that she almost didn’t notice the hand that Anakin had extended to her. He knocked gently on her lekku.

“Shili to Ahsoka,” he sang, pulling her up to a sitting position. She smiled as he wrapped an arm around her shoulder, taking a seat beside her. “What’s on your mind?”

“Nothing,” she lied, looking down.

“You know that you can’t lie to me. You’ve got that look.”

“What look?”

“The one you always get when you’re daydreaming or something.”

“I don’t have a look!”

“Yes you do! Now stop changing the subject and tell me what’s wrong,” he prodded, smirking as she glared at him for figuring her out so quickly.

“I’m just... I don’t know. I sometimes wonder about how things would’ve gone if I never went into the order- if I had lived on Shili with my family. It’s so much more peaceful here, but then I never would’ve met any of my best friends- Obi-Wan, Rex,” she sighed, “ _Barriss_.”

Anakin’s face darkened at the name. He opened his mouth, but Ahsoka quickly interrupted him by saying,

“You.”

He sighed, mindlessly rubbing her shoulder.

“But, then again, a very wise Jedi once told me,” she began, smirking, “that nothing happens by accident... and that it was the will of the Force that I was at his side.”

Anakin laughed, ducking his head down, his hair falling forward into his face.

“Yeah, I think I heard that somewhere too. Didn’t he also say something about keeping you there in one piece?”

“I think I was a little reckless back then.”

“A ‘reckless little one’?”

“ _Stop_ ,” she laughed, shoving him.

“Continue, then.”

“Well, maybe it’s a good thing that I’m getting to experience both cultures- Togrutan and Jedi. I get two families,” she concluded with a smile. Anakin lifted his head back up.

“I’m so proud of you,” he said softly. It hadn’t been what she was expecting to hear, but nevertheless, she replied by saying,

“I know.” She leaned her head down onto his shoulder, waiting only a few seconds before standing up and offering her arm to him.

“To what do I owe the pleasure, Ms. Tano?” he asked, playfully linking arms with his sister.

“We have a party to attend,” she answered as they walked out the door, and through the kitchen.

They exited the house, sharing a glance as they both caught sight of what must have been the dance floor.

Anakin rolled his eyes dramatically, and Ahsoka laughed as they made their way over to the food tables, filling up their plates.

About two hours of eating, talking, and celebrating went by before Ahsoka found herself nearly asleep, her head rested up against Anakin’s knee (he had beaten her in a race for the last seat on the log around the fire, resulting on her having to sit on the ground).

The only sound that could be heard as the sky darkened was the frequent crackling from the fire, and the light conversation of partygoers.

Just as Ahsoka was about to drift off, a voice rang out around them, making her jump. Anakin placed his hand on her shoulder, reminding her of where she was. Abrupt, loud sounds reminded her far too much of battles.

“Mi am ona ke anno that e’ mig fo det khos tunguma watap!” the elderly Togruta called, gesturing his hands to the dance floor.

“What’d he say?” Anakin whispered.

“Time for the dance,” Ahsoka yawned.

“Any chance you’re too tired for it?”

“No way,” Ahsoka giggled as he stood her up.

“Alright, alright... Ahsoka Tano, may I have this dance?” He bowed, sticking his hand out to her. Ahsoka facepalmed, laughing again as she took it.

“You may.”

They walked to the dance floor, both awkwardly trying to follow the leads of the other pairs as they danced to the slow song.

“You’re worse than I am,” Anakin joked as she tripped over one of his feet. “Hey!” he cried a bit too loudly as she stomped on his other foot.

A few heads turned in their direction, causing Ahsoka to burst out laughing once again, pressing her face to Anakin’s chest to muffle the sound.

“That was uncalled for,” he muttered, stepping onto her foot as well. Ahsoka jumped, nearly falling over. It was Anakin’s turn to hide his laughs as he buried his face in her shoulder.

“I hate you,” she muttered.

“Hate you more.”

“Hate you the mostest.”

“That is _not_ a word.”

“Hmm, maybe I’m just stupid because I had a bad teacher.”

“Maybe you were just a bad student.”

“Maybe you should keep your voice down because everyone’s staring at you now.”

“Maybe I don’t care because I don’t live here and I won’t have to deal with the judgement of everyone here.”

Ahsoka froze, nearly tripping again as the words left his mouth. She quickly regained her balance, looking down at the ground as Anakin stopped as well.

“Hey, what is it?” he asked.

“I... I forgot that you’re going to have to leave again,” she whispered.

“Oh, Snips,” he said, tugging her forward. He held her close as they swayed from side to side. “You know I can’t stay forever.”

“I know,” she sighed, embracing him tightly.

“But you know what?” he murmured, squeezing her shoulder. “I’m always going to be your big brother... and you’re always going to be my little sister. That’s a-“

“-constant?” she asked, a smile in her voice.

“Yeah,” he laughed softly. “Yeah it is.”

Ahsoka tilted her head to look up, not at Anakin, but at the sky. She smiled.

“Just like the stars.”

Anakin followed her gaze.

“Yeah,” he whispered. “We’re just like the stars.”


End file.
